Hey, HB. Sorry to hear about your mom and the things she's going through. That's really an awful situation she's facing at work, and I'm not sure there is anything you can really do other than just be there for her. If her boss and her workplace object to grass and have a totally anti-drug policy, she may indeed be in trouble. But she can try a couple of things. Have her talk to the doc who treats her rheumatoid arthritis and ask him about recommending/prescribing medical MJ even if she's not in a state where it's legal. If it were on the record as being recommended--even after the fact--that might help the situation.

The other hopeful option is if she does test positive and they want to take disciplinary action against her, she may be able to preserve her job if she goes the route of contacting her employer's employee assistance program (EAP) for some counseling. Even extreme "anti-drug" employers who tend to take the attitude that a little grass constitutes a "drug problem" sometimes will let folks have one "strike," as it were, and go get some counseling as opposed to being fired. Let's hope her workplace is open-minded enough to have an EAP for employees who are having a rough time. If they don't offer this as an option, she should directly ask about that avenue. That's why EAPs are in place--to help folks.

I expect your mom could use some counseling help even outside of this work situation. She's got two serious illnesses, physical pain, and is also dealing with grief over the loss of a spouse and the violation of having been robbed. That's a lot of stuff to deal with. She would probably benefit greatly from doing some counseling and might well benefit from antidepressant therapy. If she has a professional role where she herself is a counselor to others, certainly she recognizes what constitutes clinical depression and would be open to getting treatment for it.

It it completely ridiculous for MJ not to be legal. Just absurd. I know this because I have a sister who's desperately sick with ovarian cancer and the chemo she's taking, and we're having to "break the law" to get her the help she needs. It ought not to be this hard. Yes. Join NORML. Write your state and federal congressional reps and senators. Read everything. Educate others. Arm yourself with knowledge. And keep being the patient, loving, supportive son it sounds like you are. Take care of yourself and let me know how things turn out! You're in my thoughts and prayers!